Nerdly » ‘Fight or Flight’ Review #2

03rd Apr2025

‘Fight or Flight’ Review #2

by Kevin Haldon

Stars: Josh Hartnett, Charithra Chandran, Katee Sackhoff, Julian Kostov, Marko Zaror, JuJu Chan Szeto, Rebecka Johnston, Sarah Lam, Danny Ashok | Written by Brooks McLaren, D.J. Cotrona | Directed by James Madigan

Fight or Flight tosses Josh Hartnett into the deep end of action-hero territory. He plays Lucas Reyes, a disgraced ex-Secret Service agent turned mercenary who’s been drowning his sorrows in Bangkok dive bars. His old boss, Katherine Brunt (Katee Sackhoff), dangles a lifeline: escort a mysterious high-value target, codenamed “The Ghost,” on a flight from Bangkok to San Francisco, and he can reclaim his old life. Simple, right? Wrong. The plane’s a flying death trap packed with assassins, think Bullet Train but with tray tables and less legroom and they are all gunning for Lucas and his VIP.

The setup screams B-movie brilliance: a confined space, a ticking clock, and a blonde Hartnett swinging a chainsaw (yes, you read that right). It’s Die Hard at 37,000 feet with a side of goofball energy, and it knows exactly what it’s aiming for – unpretentious balls-to-the-wall batshit bloody fun.

We kick off with Lucas, a hungover mess in a Hawaiian shirt, stumbling onto the flight. He’s supposed to ID and subdue The Ghost (revealed as Charithra Chandran), but before he can say “peanuts or pretzels,” someone’s trying to drug and shank him in the toilet. Turns out, every passenger’s a killer. Bounty hunters, hitmen, even a Shaolin nun (because why not?) and they’ve all got a price on The Ghost’s head. Lucas goes from hunter to protector faster than you can say “fasten your seatbelt,” and the plane becomes a gladiatorial arena of fists, improvised weapons, and cracking one-liners.

The action is relentless: Lucas dropkicks Uzis, shoves meal carts into crotches, and (spoiler alert) highlight of the film, he wields a chainsaw like it’s a carry-on. There’s a mid-flight drug trip (toad venom, naturally) that turns him into a giggling berserker, and a late-game twist about slave labor that’s so clunky it’s almost endearing. The pacing’s a 100-mile-an-hour thrill ride, a mere 97 minutes of carnage with a few breathers for Sackhoff to drop deadpan gems like, “Start torturing the vet, please.” It’s not deep because it doesn’t need to be and it’s never dull.

The ending? Abrupt as a turbulence drop. After all that chaos, it wraps up like the pilot forgot to announce the landing.

This isn’t John Wick’s sleek gun-fu ballet of violence. it’s a scrappier, sillier cousin. Think The Raid meets Airplane! with a dash of Crank’s unhinged energy. Hartnett’s Lucas is a revelation: bleach-blond, bleary-eyed, and beaming with chaotic charm. He’s not your stoic action hero, he’s a guy who’d trip over a corpse and laugh about it. His chemistry with Chandran (who gets her own action beats) is messy and sweet like two strangers bonding over a bar fight they didn’t start.

The humour’s a big win. Lines like “Are you telling me that plane is full of killers?” land with a wink, and the kills, sprinkler nozzles to skulls, champagne flutes to faces, are as inventive as they are ridiculous. It’s cartoon violence dialled up to Itchy & Scratchy levels, and the cast leans in hard. Sackhoff’s dry delivery is gold, a quick mention for Marko Zaror’s scene-stealing effort, and the whole ensemble plays it like they’re in on the joke.

But it’s not all laughs. There’s a thread of redemption, Lucas clawing back from rock bottom gives it just enough heart to keep you rooting for him. It’s light seasoning, not a main course, and that’s fine. You’re here for the fists and chainsaws, not a therapy session and if you are… Choose your movies more wisely in future people.

THE HIGHS & LOWS:

Josh Hartnett is having a blast, and it’s bloody infectious. At his age, he’s doing his own stunts, fighting hordes in tight quarters and selling every punch with a mix of grit and glee. His Trap-to-Plane 2024-2025 run is a career resurgence worth cheering.
The Fights – Choreographed by Brahim Chab and Alain Moussi, the action’s a highlight. It’s not Wick-level polished, but it’s creative, plane seats, belts, and a chainsaw become weapons of mass hilarity.
The Tone is superb as it knows it’s absurd and owns it. The goofiness of Hartnett high on venom, giggling through a brawl makes it an absolute riot.
The Budget: Shot for an estimated $10-15 million in Hungary, it looks it. The CGI blood’s a bit digital, the plane’s suspiciously roomy and It’s charmingly rough.
The Plot: The “serious” twist about The Ghost’s identity and a shady corporation feels shoehorned in, like someone remembered it needed stakes beyond “everyone’s trying to kill us.”
The Ending: After non-stop thrills, it slams the brakes too fast. It’s not a dealbreaker, but you’ll wish for a smoother descent. Sequel anyone?

Fight or Flight isn’t reinventing the action wheel, it’s spinning it off the axle into a pile of assassins and airplane snacks. Hartnett’s a credible, charismatic action lead, James Madigan’s directorial debut is a genre fan’s delight, and the whole thing’s a love letter to over-the-top 90s thrillers. It’s not perfect, the budget constraints show, and the story’s thinner than an economy-class blanket, but it’s a hell of a ride. Action nerds will lap up the choreography, comedy fans will cackle at the absurdity, and Hartnett stans will swoon over his blond, chainsaw-swinging glory.

Fight or Flight is not perfect but by christ, it was so much fun, so strap in, don’t overthink it, and enjoy the flight. It’s the most fun you’ll have at 37,000 feet without a parachute.